Public and private research focused on wood utilization and product development in the United States is an important source of innovation required for sustaining the worldwide competitive position of the wood-based industry. Because of the research communitys diversity, the exact magnitude of investment in wood utilization research is subject for much conjecture. However, in 2008 an estimated 400 to 500 wood utilization research projects were implemented by 150 to 200 federal, state and private entities. Investments in publically implemented projects were in the range of $110 to $120 million, while, by some estimates, investments in projects sponsored by private concerns exceeded $2.5 billion in the same year. Scientists and supporting staff engaged by public research organizations was in the range of 900 to 1,000 in 2008. For research conducted by private concerns, scientists and engineers approached 8,000 in number. To experienced administrators, conditions necessary for a successful research enterprise focused on wood utilization and product development include clarity in purpose and well-defined client groups, effective governing boards and advisory committees, visionary and enthusiastic administrators, talented and risk taking scientists, satisfied research clients and customers, and research contributions that add to the scientific foundation considered necessary to enhance the efficient use of wood.

More wood is consumed every year in the United States than all metals, plastics, and masonry cement combined. To maximize their use of wood, forest product companies rely on research into new methods for using wood. At least 12 federal agencies have provided support to wood utilization research and product development activities, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service and Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES)-funded wood utilization research centers, which historically have specifically targeted support to these activities. GAO was asked to identify (1) the types of wood utilization research and product development activities federal agencies support and how these activities are coordinated; (2) the level of support federal agencies made available for these activities in fiscal years 2004 and 2005, and changes in the level of support at the Forest Service and at the CSREES-funded wood utilization research centers for fiscal years 1995 through 2005; and (3) how the federal government transfers the technologies and products from its wood utilization research and product development

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent agency that works for Congress. The GAO watches over Congress, and investigates how the federal government spends taxpayers dollars. The Comptroller General of the United States is the leader of the GAO, and is appointed to a 15-year term by the U.S. President. The GAO wants to support Congress, while at the same time doing right by the citizens of the United States. They audit, investigate, perform analyses, issue legal decisions and report anything that the government is doing. This is one of their reports.

GAO-06-624 Wood Utilization: Federal Research and Product Development Activities, Support, and Technology Transfer

The intent of this review is to obtain a better understanding of the nature of technology transfer, especially as such involves wood utilization research and development. More pointedly, the review seeks to gain a better understanding of the (1) conceptual frameworks explaining technology transfer and the factors that such frameworks suggest as important to the use of knowledge provided by research, (2) public and private organizations that sponsor efforts to transfer technologies provided by research, and (3) conditions necessary for the effective transfer of technologies provided by research, especially those conditions called to mind by experienced researchers and research program managers.